The Ashen Road
'' "After Estmont's fall, The Scarlet King marched towards the capital, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. They call it The Ashen Road and it remains a monument to his terrible power"'' - Bealmond the prophet History After the fall of Estmont, The Scarlet King proceeded to march towards capital of Veranor; meeting various challenges along that path. First rose the Treants of Varundaelle, who attempted to stop the monster with the power of the first world...but they failed, and all were turned to ash. Next came Therzural and his brood, Palladium dragons found to the east of Veranor. They had attempted to use the holy might of Apsu to purge him from the lands...But they too failed, and all were turned to ash. Then came the 10,000. They were the greatest and most powerful of the armies of King Astacon, trained beyond measure and armed with the mightiest weapons an army could recieve. The forces met The Scarlet King on the open fields of King's Rest, the highland's just outside the capital. This conflict would become known as "The Battle of King's Rest" and would mark the greatest battle in the war thus far, as well as the greatest loss to King Astacon before his death. The battle was so intense that the earth shook and the sky rained fire, supposedly the war-cries of the 10,000 could be heard all the way to the throneroom of king Astacon as the battle raged on. However, the 10,000 had failed to stop him...and all were turned to ash. Along this path laid a number of towns, villages, and even small cities. They, like Estmont, were turned to ruins in the process; the citizens also added to the ash of the road. The road is said to contain the ashes and remains of nearly 50,000 citizens with many more unaccounted for, this not including the treants of Varundaelle and the Palladium dragons of the east. As of today, no life is known to grow within the Ashen Road. Geography & Ecology The Ashen Road is a 1 mile wide ashen path of destruction that leads from Estmont to Almadar, nearly 100 miles long. Along this path lies various ruins, battlefields, bodies, and mounds of ash, though some believe secrets lie hidden within the ash of the road. The land is notably dead along the road, nothing grows or lives within, though nameless horrors of The Scarlet King exist here to some capacity as well as restless undead. Places of Interest Varundaelle - An ancient forest that is said to have a direct connection to the first world. Even though the lands have been reduced to a burnt husk of what it once was, its beleived that the old magic is still there...as well as servivors of the battle of Varundaelle. The Ruins of Aichron - The ruins of a massive tower of magic, this is believed to be the sight of the battle between The Scarlet King and the palladium dragon Therzural and his brood. Category:Places